


Assassin Is Born

by booboothef00l



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining (I think), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, traumatic past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-05-27
Packaged: 2019-10-04 10:31:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17303006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booboothef00l/pseuds/booboothef00l
Summary: Freedom was never something Hel had experienced. Every day, she felt like she was trapped and couldn't break free. Couldn't break free from the inky tendrils of a woman who ruined the joy of living for the poor girl. With only a disembodied voice to have for comfort, things weren't looking up for Hel. Even when she was transferred to Bravil, she couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped. That was until she had an encounter with a Dark Brotherhood assassin. That man changed everything for her on that day. Suppressing her fears, and following the Dread Lord's path, Hel was going to join this man's family. And nobody was going to ruin her chance to be free.Nobody.





	1. A Mother's Child

**Author's Note:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains attempted rape.

Red ash swept gently across the land of Solstheim; it has done so ever since the disaster of the Red Year. Things were calm on this Sundas afternoon, the locals attended to their regular schedule, the ash spawns were minding their own business for once, and no one talked about someone who'd gone mad from a Black Book. However, the silence was interrupted by the cries of a dunmer woman.  
The poor elf, barely making enough noise for others to hear, was being dragged away against her will, away from the village. She continued to scream and kick and beat on the Nord's back, but due to him being intoxicated, he didn't budge. Instead, he laughed at the poor woman's attempts to escape.  
The dunmer, through glossy eyes, turned her head to where the brute was taking her. An old abandoned looking building, that sat on the top of a hill overlooking the sea, was in her view. The building was a couple of miles away from the village, why was it out here in the middle of nowhere? The woman was brought out of her trance as the man adjusted her position over his shoulder. "Quit squirming, we're almost there," the Nord said, words slurred and breath heavy with ale. All the woman could do was continue to try and escape, her screams nothing but a whisper in the breeze.  
Upon entering the rickety structure, the woman gagged, trying to hold her stomach back. The smell of iron, corpses, and feces was strong. Strong enough to almost see it. All she could do was choke on her sobs as the Nord ventured further into the building. 'This is it, this is where I'm going to die' the woman thought, before being harshly thrown to the ground.  
She continued to squirm and wriggle, in hopes to escape, but the man was much stronger, as he straddled her hips and pinned her arms above her fragile form. "I'm going to enjoy you, make you scream as you rile beneath me" the Nord slurred, before attacking the young elf's neck. She whimpered, and turned her attention away from the disgusting pig, in hope that maybe there was a way to escape from this horrific situation. The woman's attention was soon focused on a sudden movement, a shadow. It moved too quickly to be living though. 'I've really lost it now' the elf thought.  
After the intoxicated Nord was finished planting bruises along the woman's jugular, he sat up, eyeing her as if she were some sort of grand buffet; all for him. "You're going to enjoy this" he breathed before he began to remove his belt. The dunmer began to scream, kicking to at least get some sort of upper hand in this situation. She soon realized that her efforts were in vain, and shut her eyes, waiting for what was to come.  
Suddenly, the weight was lifted from her, as a heavy thud was heard, as well as the man's screams of pain. The screams soon died, and all that was heard was a sickening squelching noise. The elf slowly opened her eyes and looked to where the sound was coming from. Her blood froze at the sight before her.  
The Nord's body laid on the ground, stomach opened up as a creature proceeded to devour his insides. 'What in the name of Azura is that!' the woman practically shouted in her head. She tried to scream, speak, anything, but all that came out was silence. The silence that fills the emptiness of the void. With trembling legs, she rose to her feet, slowly backing away before she was next.  
Her prayers fell on deaf ears, however, as a floorboard squeaked beneath her. The creature's head whipped around, red eyes focused on the shaking woman. The figure crouched on its hands and knees. Thinking. Studying. Waiting.  
Time seemed to freeze at that moment. All that could be heard was the woman's sharp breaths and the whistle of the wind as it passed through the cracks in the walls. Before she could process it, the creature moved with alarming speed towards her. Mind in a state of confusion, and legs moving on their own, the dunmer ran out of the decaying building. All that she could think of was her freedom, and the need to survive.  
Orange rays filled the dunmer's vision until that was all that she could see. She finally made it outside; fresh air and light once again embracing her. But the moment was ruined as she was tackled to the ashy ground. They wrestled until the dunmer couldn't any longer. She had tired herself out trying to escape from the Nord. Looking up, she couldn't even make out its face. Dirt and grime covered the majority of the creature, and their breath reeked with iron. The woman began to plea to the disgusting little thing, tears once again spilling from her eyes.  
The thing snarled, silencing the elf. It stared at her, face emotionless, but eyes lively. Its face soon began to contort, as if disgusted with the woman beneath her. It began to fidget, and shake its head violently, like a child who wasn't getting their way. After what seemed like a lifetime, the thing got up and stood over the woman. It came to about three feet in height, but still intimidating from below.  
The dunmer was now able to get a good look at the thing. It was covered in dirt and blood; dried and fresh. Its hair jet black and coming to its shoulders. It looked wet, probably due to not washing it. And finally, she noticed its eyes. They were red, but they somehow seemed to glow.  
"Leave."  
The woman sat dumbfounded. She didn't think this creature was capable of speech.  
"Leave now, before I change my mind." Its voice was hoarse as if it hadn't spoken in years.  
The elf scrambled to her feet, eyeing the creature. After one final glance, the being made its way back to the rundown building.  
"Thank you!" The woman called out. The creature stopped in its tracks for a moment before continuing, never once turning around. The woman had no idea what it was or what it was doing living in a building out in the middle of nowhere, but thank the gods that it did. The woman quickly made her way back to Raven Rock, wasting no time to report the incident.

**XXX**

After reporting the incident, and trying to convince the guards to go investigate the building, which was now known to be an abandoned orphanage, finally after a week, councilor Lleril Morvayn ordered a small group of guards to investigate the building.

The group of men pretty much had the same reaction upon entering the pathetic excuse of a home for children as the dunmer woman, who was the reason why they were here in the first place. "I don't understand why we have to be here, the lady probably just saw a wild Riekling" one guard protested. "Well, according to the lass's description, doesn't sound like any Riekling to me, mate. Besides, we're just investigating. We're not on some mysterious hunt for whatever the hell she saw" responded another. The rest nodded in agreement. This was just a quick in-and-out operation. Nothing they couldn't handle.  
Their conversation was soon interrupted by the squeak of the floorboards. Though none of them had moved, they just brushed it off as the building being old. What in Oblivion even happened to this place?  
Soon the noise of something scattering about was audible, and that's when the men unsheathed their weapons. Out of nowhere, a figure launched itself at one of the guards, ready to attack. But before the thing could even touch the man, another guard bashed it with their shield, protecting their comrade.  
The thing was thrown against the wall, losing consciousness as soon as it came in contact. The creature laid still. Still, but not dead.  
The group dragged the small figure outside, so they could get a better look at what it was. "Let's kill it, it's just some filthy riekling" one protested, and a few others seemed to agree. A gasp was heard, and everyone locked their attention onto the perpetrator. "What is it? Is something wrong? Do you know what it is?" The questions just kept coming, trying to figure out what was wrong. As soon as the guard answered, everyone fell silent.  
"It's a child."

The child was immediately taken back to Raven Rock, where currently, councilor Lleril Morvayn and second councilor Adril Arano were discussing the matter.  
"Where are the child's parents?" Lleril demanded. "The men didn't see any sign of them. They were very sure that she was alone" Adril responded. This wasn't looking good. A child left abandoned for who knows how long, and now they're just hearing about it. Raven Rock wasn't that big either. Word spreads quickly around here, so it was extremely suspicious that no one knew about this.  
"What do you suppose we do?" Adril asked his colleague. Lleril looked over at the child, who was currently sleeping in a lounge chair. "Well, if we're being honest, I say the first thing we do is give this urchin a bath. She reeks!" He says, contorting his face at the odor. "I agree, but who knows what will happen if we wake her" Adril stated. The men fell silent before Lleril spoke up.  
"So if she's supposedly an orphan, then we should find some way to transfer her," Lleril said. Adril looked at him in confusion. "Why do we need to transfer her? Surely there's someone around here that would gladly take her!" Lleril looked over at his friend and sighed. "Yes, I am well aware of that. But I believe that the child needs help. It wouldn't be right to send her with a family, only for them to abandon her because 'the child is very unwell'.'"  
While the two men were busy arguing on the matter, they didn't notice that the child had awoken. Though panicking should have been her first reaction, she continued to stare straight ahead. She was busy with a conversation of her own.  
_**"Accept their help... Heal... Return to before..."**_  
"Yes mama" the child whispered.  
The men turned their attention towards the child, startled to find her awake. "O-oh, hello young one. I am councilor Lleril Morvayn, and this second councilor Adril Arano. What's your name?"  
No response.  
The Councilor began to grow unnerved. "We're going to get you washed up okay? The cleaning ladies over there will run you a bath and get you cleaned up. Does that sound alright?" Adril asked. The child gave nothing but a blatant stare before hopping off the seat and making her way towards the two women who were waiting for her. Adril lightly scoffed. "How rude." His colleague began to laugh at the childish remark, and soon Adril joined with him.

It took almost two hours to scrub the muck and grime from the child's body. "Gods, how long has this one been without a proper wash?" One of the maids asked. "Beats me, looks like she's never even seen a tub before" the other replied. Though she willingly went along with the maids in the beginning, the child became restless and screamed anytime one of the women went to touch her.  
"We have to clean you sweetie, so please hold still!" One woman muttered frustratingly while the other held the child down.  
And now the child sat in a small room with a table, chair, a small bed, and a bookshelf. She sat at the table, tapping her fingers and playing with her hair, which now lifted naturally from her shoulders, no longer heavy with oil. Someone was supposed to come talk to her, but they were taking their dear sweet time.  
It's funny, she didn't even get a say in the matter. She didn't get an option to stay at the rundown orphanage, she didn't get an option when she had to bathe, and she certainly didn't get an option to wait for this stranger. But no matter how much she hated the situation, she would always listen to Mama. Always.  
A knock interrupted her thoughts and her attention turned to the door. A woman walked in, wearing noble clothes, and a plate of food in hand. The child eyed the woman curiously, waiting for her to make a move.  
Predators always watch their prey before they attack.  
"Hi sweetie, my names Cindiri Arano, what's yours?" The dunmer asked. The child didn't respond, she didn't have to. If she didn't get an option on what was going to be done with her, then she damn sure was going to get an option to speak.  
The woman gave a shy smile. "Not much of a talker huh? That's alright, I used to be like that when I was younger. Oh, here, I brought you some food. You're probably starving!" Cindiri exclaimed, flustered that she didn't offer the plate when she first walked in. She handed the child the food and took a seat across from them.  
The child looked at the plate weirdly, as if shes never seen real food before. Then again, she hadn't had a home-cooked meal since the beginning of First Seed; it was now the end of Frostfall. She took the fork and held it awkwardly in her hand; it sure has been awhile. Once she began eating, Cindiri gave a relieved expression. She didn't think that the poor girl would accept any food.  
"So, how's it going? Are you okay?" Cindiri asked as the child began to stuff face fulls of food. When she was done chewing, she didn't bother to answer the woman's question and continued to stare. Cindiri sat there awkwardly before throwing another question out the window.  
"Um, how about something simple? Like, what's your favorite color?" The dunmer was beginning to become desperate, and the smaller dunmer noticed this. When the child didn't answer, she sighed before making her way to the door. Before she was halfway out the room she heard a heavy sigh.  
"It's green. My favorite color is green."  
Cindiri looked at the child and gave the most genuine smile that she ever made. She made her way back to the table and began to ask her more questions, if she didn't answer, then they would move onto the next one.  
"How old are you?" "Five."  
"Where are your parents?" "I don't have any."  
"Who's 'mama'?" "She's a voice in my head. I call her that because she acts like a mom."  
And that's basically how things went. Soon an hour went by when Cindiri asked the child once more. "You're very interesting to talk to my dear, but may I know your name so we can properly know each other." The child looked up at the woman, and with a long sigh, she finally answered.  
"My name's Hel."

It was now the mid-beginning of Sun's Dusk. The council came to a decision to transfer Hel, in hopes that she can get some sort of help. She was being transferred to a small orphanage in Bravil, Cyrodil, and while she didn't know how to feel about it, Mama reassured her that she was heading down the right path.  
As Hel boarded the ship, she took one last look at the island behind her. Everything that's ever happened to her has been here. And now she was leaving it behind. A small smile crept onto the girl's face, something she hadn't done a long while.  
_'Finally. I'll finally be free from you, you bitch.'_


	2. Home Free

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another trigger warning

The snow had just begun to fall on the streets of Bravil. People hurriedly made their way home before the snow got worse. Shops were beginning to close, and people couldn't wait for the next month to come, hoping for the temperature to warm up, though it was only the first month of the year.

On a narrow street, at the corner of the city, a commotion had erupted. Suddenly, the elf was thrown harshly into the snow; she kept herself there for a moment, before adjusting her position and turning herself to the door. An angry Imperial woman, named Alma, stood on the porch, glaring at the small girl. "YOU CAN COME BACK INSIDE WHEN YOU HAVE REALIZED WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" the woman shouted, before marching inside and slamming the door behind her.

Hel wiped the snow from her face and stared at the door. These outbursts happened surprisingly often, considering the short time she has been here. When she first arrived back in Sun's Dusk, she was immediately taken to the orphanage. Once the headmistress saw her, she grew an instant disliking. It was now the 30th of Morning Star, and their relationship hasn't gotten any better.

The small dunmer began to wander off through the cold streets. _'You can return when you've learned your lesson'_ Hel replayed the woman's words in her head before laughing to herself. She knew she was going to come back whether or not she did learn it. Either she would sneak back in when she knew everyone was asleep, or a guard would escort her home. Whichever came first.

Hel wandered further into the town before finding what she was looking for. What once stood as the "Lucky Old Lady" statue, was nothing more than a pile of debris. Bit's and pieces askew, you could hardly tell what once stood here. Hel had found this place shortly after her arrival.

_Out on her little adventures, she stumbled upon the desecrated fountain. She became curious and investigated further until she found an opening._

_As if someone was pushing her, Hel began to venture underneath the monument. It was dark and smelled of dust and corpses, a smell she was all too familiar with. The smell alone brought her back Solstheim, but not of before, but when she was free and alone. She quickly felt at home._

_Continuing through, she finally came across a large room. Furniture was smashed and tossed around. Shredded cloth scattered here and there. But what caught her eye was the crimson liquid sprayed across the floor. She turned her head, only to be met with two bodies. One seemed to look like it was thrown into a sawmill, while the other was charred, it's mouth still hanging open in an eternal, silent scream._

_Hel quickly turned away, shaking her head to suppress her memories and to make the images go away. Once she finished her little fit, Hel's eyes locked onto a large dark circle on the floor. It looked more like an indent; as if something had been sitting there for a while. Hel slowly knelt down before brushing her fingertips across the darkened area._

_Immediate pain quickly shot up through the girls head as she fell backward, clawing at her head to try and make the pain go away. Tears began to fall from the girl's eyes as the pain began to dull._

_**"Safe... At rest... Gone"** _

_"I- I don't know what that means Mama!" The poor girl cried, trying to make the throbbing in her head stop._

_**"In time... You will understand"** _

_The pain soon subsided, and as Hel silently cried to herself, she pondered on Mama's words. She would always say something that didn't make sense, but when questioned, she always said she would understand later. Hel was tired of waiting, but she never questioned Mama._

Coming back from the memory, Hel sat in front of the fountain, turning her gaze to the night sky. Though she was young, Hel quickly learned that the world was a cruel place, filled with spineless, disgusting, selfish people. And though she saw the world as such, she couldn't help but fall in love with the night sky. She sometimes wondered if Azura painted it herself.

The moment was soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Hel sat and waited for them to go away. Once the sounds ceased, she assumed that whoever was walking by was on their merry way to Sithis knows what. She then turned around, only to be met with a pair of legs. Slowly, the young girl looked up at the figure but was only met with a pair of eyes, the rest of the face was covered by their hood.

Their eyes seemed to possess a haunting aura, one that Hel just couldn't look away from. Judging from the strangers build, and by what little she could make of their face, she assumed they were male. All form of life seemed to stop at that until he crouched down to the little girl's height, carefully as to not startle her. He studied her face, looking for some trace of fear, but none were present. Only her cold eyes on his.

Breaking from their staring contest, the man turned to his side, removing something from out of his cloak. He didn't even get it fully out before he felt a tiny hand cover his face. "Hurting me isn't going to do much, but if you are going to hurt me, then get it over with," Hel said. 

The man stared at her in confusion. Wondering why a child so young would be so ready for death. He chuckled at her statement and pushed her hand from his face before presenting her with a book. Hel gave him a funny look, expecting a knife rather than a tattered piece of literature. But none the less, she gently took it from his grasp.

Hel stared at the thick novel that she held before her. It was worn out and the cover was peeling away. _'Either this man really loves this book, or he doesn't know how to handle books properly'_ Hel thought to herself as she tried to read the title. Though she was intelligent for her age, she still had a hard time reading words.

Noticing her struggle, the man cleared his throat. "It's called 'The Night Mother'" he said blatantly. Hel's eyes widened as she lost her grip letting the book slip from her hands, hitting the cold stone road. But it didn't matter. Memories began to flood into her mind fast, too fast. She didn't have enough time to comprehend them, but she tried her best to make them stop, though it wasn't helping much.

"Are you alright?"

Everything fell silent when he muttered the question. Every little scream, every little dark shadow soon vanished, all from a simple question. Whether Mama was the reason or not, Hel would never know. She looked back up to his face, before giving her head a little shake. "Yeah, I'm fine. I- I just remember hearing that name from somewhere" Hel muttered that last bit under her breath. "So, why are you handing me this book? You just want me to hold it or something?" Hel asked as she bent down to pick up the tattered novel, dusting all the snow and dirt off it.

The man looked at the child in curiosity. He found this girl to be strange, but not in a bad way. He found her interesting, and not a lot of things got his attention. But one thing still struck him; did she really not know of what the armor he adorned meant?

"No, I'm giving the book to you. You honestly think I'm just gonna hand something to a kid just for them to hold it, then take it back and be on my merry way?" the assassin mused. Hel just stared at him with a bored face, waiting for him to say more.

The assassin cleared his throat before continuing. "The book talks about my family. Of our mother, the dreaded father, and their children. And if you are interested, you can join my family when you've come of age. But, you'll have plenty of time to think that over, but now, I must go. I do hope we see each other again soon." And with that, he turned on his heel and left, sinking into the shadows.

A gentle breeze picked up, flowing through the dunmer's tight curls as she stood in place, eyes fixated on where the man had walked off and the book held tightly in her hands. Questions began to fill her head. Who was he? What was he? Why on Tamriel would he give me this book? "Hey miss, what are you doing out here? It's late and a snowstorm is about to roll in soon, shouldn't you be inside? C'mon, I'll escort you home" A guard shouted, as he gestured for her to follow him.

The walk back to the orphanage was silent, but Hel's mind wasn't. She couldn't help but feel giddy. She couldn't stop thinking about the man and his family. Just imaging her having her own family made her stomach do flips. But she didn't want to join just any family, she wanted to join _his._

She didn't need time to make a decision, she already made up her mind, and Mama seemed to approve of her choice. She was going to see him again. She was going to see this man again.

Him and his haunting eyes.

**XXX**

A cold wind swept through the streets of Bravil as Magnus began to rise, shining down on the rustic buildings. Shops began to open, people started coming out of the homes and guards switched out with the next for their shift. The rays of Magnus's blinding light fell on Hel's bloodshot eyes, making her shut them immediately. She hadn't slept at all throughout the night. How could she? She was too excited about tomorrow. So many ideas, so many ways she could go about this.

It had been twelve years since her encounter with the Dark Brotherhood assassin, and now, she was finally ready to join his family. Hel had spent the past few years reading and studying the Dark Brotherhood. Two entities that have haunted her since she was a child, she now serves with every bone in her body.

She began her 'assassinations' when she was around twelve. She took on her first contract when she heard from the townsfolk that someone had been trying to perform the black sacrament. Hel didn't do anything then, but once the rumors continued for another two weeks, Hel decided to step in when Mama started talking.

Now at almost eighteen, Hel had perfected her stealth and dagger skills. Now all she had to do was wait out today, then she was free tomorrow, her eighteenth birthday. The only problem she was having was how to leave the orphanage with a bang. All the children here were either snobbish, assholes or just begging to die. And the headmistress, Alma, was no walk in the park either.

Hel's thoughts were soon interrupted when a loud banging came from her door as if someone from the other side was going to break it down. 

"HEL! IF YOU DO NOT OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT THIS INSTANT, I WILL DUMP ALL YOUR BELONGINGS INTO THE NIBEN BAY!" screeched the elderly woman, still beating on the door.

Hel groaned, sitting up on her small bed as she stretched her back, popping all the right places. She got up, stretching her legs as she dragged herself to the door. "As you command, your majesty" Hel mused, swinging the door open and bowing in the process. The grey-haired woman marched in, scowling at the elf before smacking her upside the head. "Don't patronize me, young lady! Just because you're finally leaving tomorrow doesn't mean you get to be smart with me!"

Hel rubbed her head and glared daggers at Alma, the latter taking a step back. It wasn't unknown for Hel to attack the people around her, especially Alma. The woman had the scars to prove it too.

"Well, now that you've got my full attention, the fuck do you want?" Hel demanded, sitting in the chair at her desk, arms crossed facing the woman before her. Alma rubbed her neck and cleared her throat before staring hard at the young elf before her. "Did you forget about the inspector? That's coming in today? Typical, why am I not surprised, I don't know why I expected more from you. I don't even -" "Quit your bitching and just get to the point already" Hel interrupted, already deciding on her plan for tomorrow.

Alma gave Hel a nasty look before continuing. "ANYWAY, as I was trying to say before I was so rudely interrupted, get ready. Because the inspector will be here any minute, and I don't need you looking like a tramp as he critics the hospitality of this place." Hel just rolled her eyes. _'Doesn't everyone look like a tramp here though?'_ Hel thought to herself, trying her best to hold her tongue.

Their stare off was cut short to a slight knock at the door. Both women whipped their heads to find one of the younger boys standing in the doorway. Alma's entire attitude did a 180, gently speaking to the child. "What is it dear, I'm in the middle of talk-" "Th-there's a man at the door," the boy said. Alma's eyes widened. "Oh Kynareth, that must be him," she said frantically. She turned her attention back to the dunmer as she pointed a bony finger at her. "You, get dressed and look somewhat decent, I have to go finish preparing breakfast." And with that, she scurried out the room, with the young child in tow, but not before he stuck his tongue out at Hel, running off while giggling like a hyena.

Hel rolled her eyes in annoyance before slamming the door shut. "Oh I've got a big surprise for all of you tomorrow, just you all wait."

Now clothed in a sleeveless dress and jogging down the stairs without making the wood creak, Hel was held up by a crowd of children, all waiting at the front door. All the children were eager to get a glimpse of the new stranger, pushing and shoving one another. Alma's booming voice is what made the children settle down.

"Settle down children, there's no need for all the fuss. This is the inspector, Mr. Tullas Carvicius. He's going to be checking out the building, and you lot to make sure this place is safe for children." Now that the children had stopped jumping around like damned fools, Hel was now able to get a good look at the guy. He was an Imperial, an older man, but still young looking. As Hel was looking him over, he made eye contact with her.

His eyes went dark, like something sinister was plaguing behind them. This sent a shiver down Hel's back, and not in a good way.

He made his towards her, greeting children along the way, with Alma in tow. All the red flags were going off in Hel's head, and she began to panic on the inside. But on the outside, she was a stone cold wall, who gave Tullas a bored look as he took her hand. "And who might this young lady be?" Tullas asked, still holding her hand. Before Hel could think of anything to say, Alma piped up. "Oh this is just Hel, she's a sketchy one, so I'd watch your back around her" Alma said, smirking at the poor elf. But for once, Hel was grateful of the old hag telling people to stay away from her.

His eyes lingered on Hel's before turning to Alma. "A dangerous one huh? Well, I'll make sure I keep my eyes open" Tullas said, as he kissed Hel's hand, winking at her in the process. _'I need to amputate this hand now'_ Hel thought, still trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling this guy was giving off.

As the day continued, Hel began to form a plan on how she would leave her mark on this sad sack of a home for lost children, but was constantly dealing with the obstacle that was Tullas, the creepy inspector man that just couldn't get anymore closer to her without trying to seem like he wasn't. Hel swore that if he touched her one more time, she would rip his jugular out with her teeth.

Nightfall soon began to arrive, as well Mr. Carvicius's departure. It seemed like a blessing from the Night Mother herself, and Hel couldn't wait for this man to leave her presence for good. Tullas had deemed the orphanage a safe and healthy living space for children, much to Alma's relief.

Tullas grabbed his coat from the coat rack, and said goodbye to all the children, with 'thank yous' and 'come again later'. Hel breathed a sigh of relief but quickly sucked it back in when he called her name. "Oh Hel, I was wondering if you could escort me back to the inn I'm staying at. I'm still pretty new to this area, and I don't really know my way around here."

_'No. No. No, one million times, no'_ Hel wanted to say. She remained still, unable to get her words together, but once again, Alma butted in. "I don't think that's a good idea, she isn't the most pleasant to be around especially -" Alma was about to continue until she saw Hel's head shake slightly at his request. A devilish smile grew on the older woman's wrinkled face, a cruel joke she had in mind for the young dunmer.

"Why of course she can escort you to the inn, she practically knows this town like the back of her hand, don't you Hel?" Alma turned at the girl, still frozen in place, now glaring daggers at the headmistress. Hel was at a lost for words, she didn't know how to react, and didn't know what to do. Until the raspy voice that resided in her head finally spoke.

_**"Go...with him"** _

"Mama, what in Oblivion are you talking about?" Hel whispered loudly to herself. What was she thinking?! Going along with this creep could lead to something that she didn't want to go through.

_**"Go with him....Trust me.."** _

With Mama's final words, Hel sucked in a deep breath and answered the man before her. "Sure, I'll take you to the local inn, it's not far from here either," Hel said cheerfully, heading towards the door, dragging Tullas in tow. And with that, the two were now out on the cold streets of Bravil.

Hel mentally cursed at herself for not grabbing something to cover up her arms. Tullas seemed to notice that she was uncomfortable with the current temperature, and offered her his coat; which she quickly denied. The walk was mostly silent, the silence coming from Hel's end while Tullas tried to make conversation. "So, I heard that you were being removed from the orphanage tomorrow, do you have any plans on what you're going to do?"

_'Pfft, I got plans alright buddy'_ Hel joked to herself, snickering at her morbid sense of humor. "That's none of your business," she said harshly, shivering as the wind picked up. "Jeez, I'm just trying to make conversation, no need to get all upset" Tullas said in annoyance, raising his hands up in defense. He soon went back to his joking and chuckled, nudging his elbow on Hel's arm. "You're one tough nut to crack aren't ya?" Hel just rolled her eyes, the inn now in view. "You have no idea."

They soon made their way into the inn, much to Hel's relief, as the building was much warmer compared to the freezing cold outside. They made their way to the room he rented, which was at the very back of the tavern. "Alright, here we are, hope you enjoy your stay, and have a good night-" Hel spoke with forced enthusiasm until she was dragged into the room, and slammed into the door, Tullas's arm caging around her. "If you're such a tough nut to crack, let's break you out of your shell," He said, eyes clouded with lust as his arms moved to caress her sides.

Everything was moving too fast. The way he spoke, the way his hands moved. Hell, she didn't even know where she was really at. However, once her thought process was normal again, she raised her hand to the back of his head, about to rip the flesh that resided there, but was stopped by Mama.

_**"Kill him... In any way you see..fit. Have fun... with it"**_

Hel slowly fell back down, a wicked plan forming quickly in her head. With Mama's permission, she could do whatever she wanted to do with this guy. And oh boy, did she have an idea on what to do to him.

Hel gently placed her hands on Tullas's shoulders, pushing him back enough so she could make eye contact with him. His eyes were lustful and hungry, and Hel was ready to serve him the meal, but not what he would have in mind. "If we're going to do this, then I'm in charge, you understand?" Hel said, tugging his hair in the process, just to get him going. He practically purred into her touch, disgust rising in Hel's stomach, but she managed to swallow it. "Sure, whatever you say, darling."

Now, Hel stood over Tullas, who had his arms behind him as he sat in a wooden chair, wrists held back with his belt. Hel had found a knife in one of the drawers, which she now held, twiddling the blade between her fingers. Tullas's shirt was ripped open, as well were a few light scratches the blade left behind. And now he sat with his legs spread apart, pleading to be fucked.

Hel smiled a sinister grin, stopping her mannerisms with the dagger. "Are you ready?" she asked, smile growing wider. The debauched man looked up at her, eyes filled with want and hunger. "I've been ready my dear." Hel's smile relaxed at that bit. By Sithis was she going to enjoy this. She knelt down in front of him, in between his legs, and sliced the button off his pants. She slowly pulled his pants down along with his smalls, and his cock sprung up. Disgusting thing.

She took it in her hand, the urge to vomit strong, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Tullas moaned loudly at her actions but his sounds of pleasure were soon turned into screams of pain and horror. Hel held his most valuable asset in her hand, as he bled from his crotch, crying and screaming at the immense pain of losing his limb. Though his wails were music to her ears, she didn't feel like getting caught by the innkeeper, or the guards. So she shoved his severed cock in his mouth to silence his screams.

Now muffled, Tullas struggled to breathe, gagging on his own schlong. Just the sight alone was enough to get Hel cackling. Gods was he pathetic! But, all things must come to an end, and with that, Hel sliced his throat from ear to ear watching as the life faded from his eyes. She stood back to admire her work, haven't had a kill like this in a while. She sighed heavily, knowing that she couldn't stay for long. She escaped out the window and marched back towards the Orphanage, just in time before the innkeeper came into the room.

Hel was no longer cold, adrenaline rushing through her veins. Now she was livid. She wouldn't have been in this mess if it weren't for that raggedy old bitch. _'It's all her fault. It's all their fault. They did this to me. Y'know what, fuck it! Fuck the plan! I'm leaving right now'_ Hel thought angrily, the adrenaline rising. She stood before the building, thinking of what she could do, what to do to make sure they would never do this to her, or anyone ever again.

She didn't even think, she just acted on her own as she held the flames in her hand, making them dance between her fingers. She aimed straight for the door and let everything go. All of her anger, all of her worries, all of her grief. She felt lighter, she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders as she watched the building erupt in flames.

The guards weren't able to find her as she made her way out of the city, cries of pain and terror erupting behind her. Nothing but one thing mattered now. The next destination on her journey: Cheydinhal.


	3. Strange Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took forever, but here it is! I'm going to try and be more active, especially with summer just around the corner.

Calloused feet slapped against the cobblestone pathway as Hel ran to her new home, never once had she taken a break. She laughed the whole way, finally enjoying the feeling of freedom once more; something she hadn't felt in a long time. Magnus was beginning to set, the stars beginning to appear. "Shit, I should find somewhere to stop for the night," Hel muttered to herself, becoming frustrated that she wouldn't be able to make it to Cheydinhal that night.

Now, the sky was dark, and the only source of light were the millions of dots in the sky. Eventually, the young dunmer woman could see a light in the distance, and as she got closer, a building was now clear in view. Hel gulped, fiddling with the material of her dress as she approached the building, but sighed in relief when she realized it was an inn. "Oh thank Sithis, my luck just keeps getting better and better today," she cheered with a grin as she made her way inside.

It wasn't a local inn, given that there were no villages or cities nearby. It was like a rest stop for travelers who happened to be in the area. As Hel pushed the door open, she was greeted by the warmth of the hearth, something that she didn't realized she was in need of. The place seemed barren with it's absence in patrons, minus the one drunk in the corner, a bard who played the flute for no one, and the innkeeper.

The bard and innkeeper turned their attention to the newcomer, their eyes widening at her appearance. "Oh my gods, what happened to you dear?" The innkeeper asked, rushing to Hel's side. The dunmer tensed up at the sudden commotion, completely oblivious to her attire. However, once she looked down at her dress, everything clicked. "Oh, uhh.. wolves," Hel said, trying to come up with a good excuse as to why there were bloodstains on her clothes. "Oh my poor dear, are you hurt? You must be exhausted! Here, why don't you go rest in that room over there, it's on the house," the older imperial lady quickly said, concerned about the mer's well being.

"Oh, thank you," Hel said, putting on her best genuine face. The innkeeper nodded, escorting her to the room. "Is there anything I can get you?" She asked, still worried about the dunmer's well being. However, Hel shook her head. "No, I'm fine, but thank you for the offer!" She said, flashing a smile. The elder imperial nodded. "W-well, if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask," she said as she left the room to let the new patron get situated. As soon as the door closed, Hel's smile fell. She sighed with frustration, upset that she couldn't get to Cheydinhal that night and that she had completely forgotten her appearance. "I'm such a fucking idiot," Hel muttered, as she flopped on the hay bed. She hummed in content at the feeling of the bed, finding it more comfy than what she slept on previously. _'It's okay! Tomorrow, I'll get there and it'll be even better! It'll be the perfect birthday present to myself,'_  she thought, as a wave of fatigue hit her. She hadn't slept in 2 days, and rest was a must if she wanted to be fresh and awake for tomorrow. Hel adjusted herself under the covers as her eyes began to droop. As she slept, a small smile was present on her face.

**XXX**

As Magnus began to rise, Hel was up and ready for the day. She had came out of her room, looking to purchase breakfast for the road. "Oh, well it's on the house!" The innkeeper said, handing the young dunmer her food. "What? But you let me stay the night for free, why not let me pay for my food?" Hel asked curiously. The elder imperial chuckled. "Oh dear, did you forget what day it is? It's Hearts Day, so rooms and food are on the house!"

Hel's face nearly fell at the mention of the holiday, but she didn't let her face falter. "Oh, well thank you! And happy Hearts day to you," she said as she made her way out of the inn. "Same to you too dear!" The innkeeper called out.

Hel begrudgingly ate her breakfast as she made her way down the road. Sure, she was excited to have a decent birthday, but she still hated it, even with the holiday to top it off. She sighed, shaking her head from any negative thoughts. Today was her day, and nothing would ruin it. Once she was done, she began her run once more, vowing to never take a break until she got there.

After a couple of hours, Hel finally came to a rest once more, breaking her vow as she leaned against a tree. She breathed heavily as she looked at her surroundings. All that was noticeable were trees and mountains if you could see through the forest walls. The weather had gotten colder, however, Hel didn't seem to notice from the excessive running. "Where.. the fuck.. am I?" Hel asked herself, still trying to catch her breath. She felt stupid for not asking directions, relying on her own knowledge and Mama's wisdom. However, both were absent at the moment.

She sat there for a moment longer, enjoying the sounds of the birds chirping and other wildlife that were nearby. It was a peaceful moment; something that she always stopped to enjoy when she had the chance. Heck, if Hel were to sit there any longer, she would have passed out. However, the sound of shouting and horses became louder, and metal against metal was getting closer. Hel, startled by this sudden noise, climbed the tree until she could see what was going on.

A small war broke out in the area, where a group of men in blue were surrounded by men in red. "Give up Ulfric! Or die in this forest!" One of the red men shouted. Hel hugged the branch, trying her best to not be seen. She tilted her head to the side, not knowing what was going on. She had heard of the name "Ulfric", by the townspeople or when or when people came into the stables looking for their carriage to be fixed. But now, she was finally able to see what made this man such a popular conversation topic.

A man in dark fur clothing slowly raised his arms up. His men looked at him suspiciously, some even flabbergasted, but eventually they all followed the man's lead. "Smart choice. Private, load them in the wagon!" A man in red armor ordered. "Yes General Tullias!" The private saluted as he began to bind the blue men and Ulfric's hands before loading them into the wagon. Now Tullias, Hel had definitely heard about. Any time politics came up, his name was always present in that conversation. Honestly, it was tiresome hearing the man's name every other sentence. And according to his appearance, he seemed tired of it too. Hel had to hold back a giggle at that thought. But soon she quickly laid flat on the branch when one of the red men looked in her direction. "What's wrong Private?" Tullias asked. The man squinted harder at the tree, but sighed. "Nothing sir, thought I saw something."

Once the army of people left the area, Hel finally crawled out of the tree; her guard up in case they were nearby. She continued her way through the forest, holding her arms close as the temperature began to get to her. Hel was never one for cold weather; she'd much prefer warmer weather, to where it was uncomfortable for most people.

When snow began to fall, Hel became more confused. "Okay, where the fuck am I?" she asked herself, now realizing how lost she really was. Though it was in the middle of winter, it never snowed this much in Bravil. However, Hel just assumed that it was because she was farther north in the country.

She treaded through the open forest forest planes, encountering many wildlife, some Hel had never even seen in person before. Though the only downside to her journey were the various packs of wolves. But other than the copious amounts of wolf attacks, she would've picked this over having to spend another minute in that damned orphanage; or rather that island.

She now walked down a scattered stone path that lead to a bridge and then some. Around the area were several farms, as well as a city guarded by walls. The only building that was viewable from outside the walls was farther back in the city; the architecture strange looking from what Hel had seen before. Nothing that looked like it was from Cyrodiil, which made the knot grow more in the young dunmer's stomach.

The sky was beginning to take a light orange-ish color, if you looked closely past the seemingly permanent grey clouds that blocked out any glimpse of the ether above. "Great, another day spent on mindless wandering, and I'm still not at Cheydinhal. I don't even know if I'm even near the damn city, let alone the same country!" Hel argued with herself, coming down the road past a guard tower. She looked up to find another windmill. "Oh, great, another fucking farm!" she cursed at herself, her anger boiling more.

However, what caught her eye was a wagon standing by the edge of the road, a wheel sat askew a few feet away from it. A large crate sat in the bed of the wagon, looking like the weight of it would break the carriage. But what was even more eye catching was the man standing near it. His attire was questionable; a court jester is what he seemed to be. Though while jesters were fun and light hearted, this one seemed to be agitated as he paced back and forth, muttering to himself. Hel thought nothing of the scene, hoping to avoid the man entirely. But of course, that would have been just too easy.

_**"Help... fix what is broken... return to home.."** _

Hel paused in her tracks as Mama's words interrupted her train of thought. She turned her attention to the man, cursing at herself mentally. She groaned as she cautiously made her way towards him, her guard up in case he tried anything.

"Uh, hello! Is something the matter?" Hel asked, cracking her knuckles; a nervous tic. The jester whipped around, startled by the stranger. Though his expression quickly went back to his more irritated one. "AH! Bothered and befuddled! Stuck here, stuck! My mother, my poor mother. Unmoving, at rest, but too still," the man screeched through gritted teeth. Though he answered her question, he didn't seem to be talking to her.

Hel tilted her head to the side a bit, studying the strange man before her. She had never met someone this erratic in a long while, though this was different. Though his mannerisms gave off a familiar feeling, it didn't give off any bad vibes as it did before. Hel quickly suppressed her thoughts, not wanting to think about back then.

"Sir, are you alright?" She asked, putting on the nicest tone of voice she could muster. The man blinked rapidly, jumping a bit as he seemed to be yanked out of his thoughts. He looked at Hel, making sure eye contact was established in this stare-off. "Oh! Poor Cicero is stuck, can't you see?! I was transporting my dear sweet mother- well not her, her corpse. Heheheh, she's quite dead," the man explained, laughing at his somewhat morbid joke.

Hel watched the man curiously, laughing through her nose a bit. She had to give him credit, he was able to make her laugh without him having to die, or it being out of sarcasm; even if it was just a little bit.

"Well, is there anyway I can help?" Hel asked, still messing with her fingers a bit.  
The jester, whom she assumed was named Cicero, took in the dunmer's words before his eyes lit up. He slapped his knee as he did a small, almost unnoticeable jig.  
"Oh- ohoho yes! The kindly stranger can certainly help!" He said, a toothy grin painting his face.  
Hel gave off a small chuckle. _'Hah, kindly'_ she thought to herself.

Cicero pointed up at the top of the hill, a windmill can be seen from the peek.  
"Go to the farm- the Loreius farm! Just over there, off the road," he explained.  
"The farmer has tools, but he won't help! He refuses!" He screeched, his volume getting louder the more he discussed the matter. He then lunged forward, grabbing Hel's shoulders, which resulted in the young dunmer violently flinching and backing away, immediately hovering her hand over her dagger. Cicero backed up from her movements, jumping from the reaction as his face turned into a calm expression.  
"Cicero- Cicero apologizes. He is sorry for startling you. But please, convince the farmer to fix my wheel. If you can do that, I'll- I'll reward you! Yes- with gleamy shiny coin!"

Hel eyed the madman before her, still slightly shaken, but calming down quicker then she had thought. She nodded before giving him one last look, then trudging up the hill. Eventually once she got up to the top she looked around the area. An altmer women sat on the steps to the house, while an imperial man tended to his crops.  
'That must be him,' Hel thought, before making her way over to the farmer.

Once she was behind him, she lightly tapped his shoulder, making him jump a bit and whirling his head around.  
"Who's- Oh for the love of Mara what now??" He asked, irritation dripping in his tone. Hel's hands tightened a bit from the farmer's tone, but she pushed it aside. "I'm sorry to intrude, but there's a man down there that needs help," she said, pointing to the direction that Cicero was waiting at. Loreius gave a look to before rolling his eyes. "That Cicero feller? Why can't he just leave us alone?" he cried, tending back to his crops. Hel made a face, folding her arms over her chest. "Well, maybe he won't cause he can't move. His wheel's completely off the wagon," Hel explained. The farmer shrugged. "Not my problem."

Hel's eye twitched a bit. The farmer's attitude and response to the poor man's situation irking her. Though, she tried to calm down and be civil. "Listen, the guy just wants to bury his mom in a more respectable place. Why can't you just lend him a hand? I'm sure he'll pay you," she reasoned. The farmer gave a loud laugh before turning back to the dunmer. "You think this about money? Listen, some guy- jester shows up in Skyrim, which one hasn't been in for about a hundred years or so. Then proclaims that he's burying his mother, whom is in that large crate. I'm no fool. That guy can be lying, and have anything in there. Skooma, war contraband, ain't no way I'm getting involved in that," he explained, going back to his crops.

Hel's face relaxed as she peered down at the crouched farmer, before grabbing the back of his tunic and throwing him to the ground. "OW! WHAT IN GODS NAME ARE YOU-" "Okay fucker. I tried being nice, but you're being ridiculous. Doesn't fucking matter if he's lying or not, the guy needs help, and for you to sit on your ass and not do anything, but then complain about him not leaving is utterly childish- more idiotic," she spat at the imperial. Loreius looked up at the dunmer, still a bit shaken at what she had done as he took in her words. "I'll.. I'll be down there in a few minutes. I'm sorry for the way I acted, you can let Cicero know I'll be down there to help," he said sheepishly. A small smile grew on Hel's face as she looked down at the man. "Thank you for your cooperation," she said, and with that, she turned her heel and made her way down to the broken cart.

Cicero tapped his foot rapidly, messing with his gloved hands as he waited for what the farmer had to say.  
"He's coming down in a minute," Hel said, standing behind the jester as he jumped, not expecting anyone to be behind him.  
"H-he did? He has?" Cicero asked, his eyes lighting up once more. He went to go grab Hel's hands, but stopped himself, remembering what happened last time. "Oooh stranger! You have made Cicero so happy- so jubilant and ecstatic! But more! Even more! My mother thanks you," he cheered, dancing in a circle from his excitement.  
Hel smiled a tad, nodding. "It's no trouble, glad that you'll be able to get out of this spot soon,'

Cicero turned to his coin purse, about to open it before he caught sight of Loreius, pausing his actions as he watched the farm walk down the steep hill. He was about to call out to the him before the farmer completely passed them, heading for the guard. Hel and Cicero exchanged questionable looks as they watched the farmer, before pointing at the two. The guard gave a nod as Loreius walked away, back up to his farm as the guard came towards the two.  
Cicero's expression changed, one of confusion, anger, and something else that couldn't really be pinned. Hel however, kept her face relaxed, but her blood began to boil.

Soon the guard came to a halt, looking down at the two. "The farmer seems to have a complaint about you two, mostly you," he said, looking at Cicero. His attention then shifted over to large crate, his eyebrow quirking under his masked helmet. "What's in the crate?" He asked. Cicero froze a bit, stuttering a bit as his erratic behavior increased.  
"N-nothing sir! J-just my mother," he explained. The guard didn't seemed convinced.  
"Well if that's the case, you wouldn't mind opening it, would you?" he asked, more so ordered. Cicero's mannerisms began to get worse. "S-sir! Please, it's just Cicero's mother! Opening it would be sacril- incredibly rude," he tried to explain, thought the guard didn't budge. Hel watched silently, before releasing a sigh, making her way to the guard. "Sir, if I could speak to you in private please," she asked, pointing over to the bushes off the road. The guard gave her a weird look, but sighed, following the dunmer. Cicero watched as they walked away, a smidge of hope that the young dunmer could convince him.

He paced in a circle, trying to calm down until he heard a loud crack, a small cry breaking the atmosphere before quickly silencing, a thud then heard right afterwards. Cicero turned to the direction, but watched as Hel angrily stomped out of the bushes, holding a finger up to the jester as she marched up the hill. Cicero froze a bit, taking in what had just happened as he waited for Hel's return.  
Soon later Hel made her way back down to the cart, tools in her hand. "Loreius is a bit busy, so I'm fixing your cart," Hel explained, placing them down next to the wagon. Cicero blinked, looking a bit bewildered, but didn't question.  
"Oh- well that's great! Thank you kind stranger! he cheered jumping a bit in his spot.  
"It's fine, can you just grab the wheel over there," Hel pointed, before propping her leg up and lifting the cart onto it to put the wheel on properly, all the weight laying on her thigh, but she didn't budge.  
Cicero's eyes widened, staring at the carts position, but quickly snapped out of it and raced to get the wheel, rolling it back over.

Hel gave a nod, as she began working, setting the wheel in place and grabbing a tool. Cicero sat and watched in awe, happy that he'll be out of there soon. "Sooo... the stranger knows Cicero's name, but he has no idea what yours is," he said, trying to make conversation. Hel had thought about remaining silent, but sighed, giving into the small talk. "The names Hel," she said, placing a tool in her mouth as she reached for a bolt.  
Cicero nodded, watching as the young dunmer screwed the wheel back on. "How did Hel learn how to fix carriages?" he asked, tilting his head a bit.  
"I worked in the stables in Bravil, we had broken carriages like this from time to time," she explained. Cicero gasped a bit, clasping his hands together. "Oooh! Another citizen of Cyrodiil? Glad to know Cicero is not the only one!" he said with a giggle.

Hel rolled her eyes, but smiled a tad, but quickly changing her expression to one of concentration, though his words did leave her a little confused. However, the jester wasn't going to let the conversation die. "What brings you all the way out to Skyrim? You're a long way from Bravil," he said, thinking about the geography.  
Hel stopped what she was doing, her eyes widening as she turned to Cicero. "Wait.. I'm not in Cyrodiil anymore?" she asked, trying to comprehend what she was dreading. Cicero looked at the young dunmer before laughing. "Hahah! Surely you're pulling Cicero's leg!" He laughed, but soon the laughter died down as he saw that her expression was true.  
"Wait.. heheh, Hel is serious? Heheh.. oh," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

Hel stared at the madman, her hands a bit shaky as she clenched fists, bending the tool in her hand slightly.  
"Well.. yes. You're in Skyrim. Cicero doesn't know how you could get so lost," he said with a chuckle. Hel had made a face, but quickly went back to work. "I guess I'm not good with directions," she muttered, working on the wheel faster.  
Cicero stopped his laughter, feeling a bit bad for the stranger. "Where in Si- gods name were you trying to get to?" He asked, a questioning look on her face.  
Hel shook her head. "It doesn't matter now," she said, planning on how she was going to get to Cheydinhal now. It was much too late to walk back and find the damn place within the same day. She would just have to stay somewhere for the night and leave early in the morning.  
As Hel thought to herself, and Cicero rambled about whatever came to mind, the wagon wheel had been fixed. She removed her leg from under the cart and stood, stretching it out after having it there for a while with the weight against it. Cicero jumped up and walked over to wagon, inspecting the wheel as he smiled.  
"Welp, looks like your carriage is back in working order," she said, hitting the side of the wagon with a small smile.  
Cicero looked over to Hel, a toothy grin spreading across his face. "Oooh strang- Hel! Thank you so much for helping Cicero and his mother! Here," he said, going to his coin purse and grabbing a handful of septims, then turning back to the dunmer.  
"Here! For all that you've done," he said, handing the gold to her. Hel smiled a tad, but shook her head. "No- no it's alright. You may need it," she explained. However nothing was going to convince the eager man, so she eventually obliged and took it.  
"Cicero will never forget what you've done for him and my mother," he said, bowing a tad.

Hel smiled, standing a bit awkwardly until he was done. She gave a slight nod as he walked over to the front of the wagon. However Hel stopped and quickly turned around. "Can I just ask you something?"  
Cicero turned around before nodding. "Of course! Kind Hel can ask whatever she likes!" he said, a smile on his face.  
Hel gave a small smile, before pointing north from the large city. "What's up the road?" she asked.  
Cicero looked ahead, before turning to Hel. "There's a couple of cities up there, but if you take the road and stay on it, it'll take you to Windhelm. But do take care, it is quite chilly up there," he said, hugging himself as he shivered to give his words full effect. Hel made a slight face, not wanting to deal with anymore cold, but she nodded. "Thank you, hope the roads are kind to you!" She waved, walking north and trying not to think about the incoming climate.  
"Same to you too!" Cicero called out, as he hopped on the front seat of the wagon, pulling away and down the road. He looked over his shoulder, watching as the dunmer walked north to the harsher part of the hold. He smiled a tad, facing forward as he headed to Falkreath. Anxious to meet his new family.  
"Hopefully this one will be better."


	4. Rough Night's Sleep

_The old house creaked as the wind passed by, some of the chilled air finding itself inside through the small holes in the walls. The floorboards groaned as small feet scurried about to their assigned rooms. Hushed whispering could be heard through the upper floor as the children quickly tucked themselves in their beds, hiding under the covers and hoping to be undisturbed throughout the night. As the voices died down and the house grew quiet, a small dunmer child made her way down the upper hallway to her assigned room. It was away from the others, and was the most decent looking room in the house._

_Her ragged tunic that was much too large for her dragged across the floor, sometimes catching on the nails here and there as she quickly made her way to her room, gently shutting the door behind her. She turned around, standing on her toes as she went to clasped the top lock, then turning the bottom one on the handle. The young dunmer took a step back, before hurrying her little legs to the dresser, dragging the chair in front of it and placing it under the door knob. She stood back to admire her work before sighing, making her way to the bed that was much too large for her, but maybe just the right size for the older children that lived there._

_She climbed up into the bed, crawling her way to the top and burying herself in the furs. She released a sigh, her eye lids slowly closing as she began to drift off. However that peace was snatched when she heard the creak of the floorboards. Her heart stopped as well as her breathing, her young floppy ears twitching as she listened closely; hoping it was just a figment of her imagination. Unfortunately it wasn't, as the sound of footsteps began to get closer. Once they stopped, a shadow can be see from under the door. The young dunmer held her breath, her eyes wide as saucers as she stared at the shadow._

_The doorknob jiggled slightly, to which escalated to violent shaking. Once the person behind the door realized the door wasn't going to budge, they let go. Silence filled the air, only the creaking of the floorboards from the person's weight. The young dunmer let out a small breath, though her eyes were trained on the shadow. She hoped they'd take the message and leave. However her thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang, followed by another. The young dunmer curled up in fetal position as she covered her ears, her eyes tight shut as she tried to block out the banging. A stray tear falling from her cheek._

 

Hel's eyes blinked as her breath hitched, looking around to see she was nowhere near where she thought she was. The sound of the door banging began to fade, and was replaced with the slamming of a hammer at a work bench. She breathed a sigh, before shivering, the cold immediately hitting her once she was out of her daze. "Hey! Hey dark elf! You just gonna move or you just gonna stand there and hope someone takes advantage of you?" A nord called out to her, hacking up a loogie as his buddy laughed beside him.  _'Ahh Windhelm... so this is why the local elves in Bravil called it shitty,'_ she thought to herself.

        "I'm sorry?" Hel asked, her face showing slight disgust. The nord just rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. "Forget it, nobody wants anything to do with a filthy elf here," he said, his buddy finding his words hilarious. Hel's face showed her unamusement, and decided best to ignore the rude man. However, a woman called out to the drunkard. "Oh leave her alone Rolff. She hasn't done anything to you!" the dunmer woman shouted. The man, now known as Rolff, scoffed at the woman. "Shut it wench! You know nothing! Not even our struggles! You elves come in to a place where you are unwanted, eat our food, and pollute our city with your stink! And further more, you refuse to help the Stormcloaks!" Rolff ranted, counting his reasons on his fingers. However the dunmer woman just rolled her eyes as Hel watched the interaction.

     "Well _excuse_ my people for taking refuge. But we haven't chosen a side because this war is not our fight!" she protested. However her words fell on deaf ears as the nord turned to his friend. "Hey! Maybe these grey-skins refuse to help because they're Imperial spies!" he suggested, his friend nodding in agreement. Hel rolled her eyes at the conclusion, however the dunmer woman was taken aback slightly. "I-Imperial spies? You can't be serious??" she questioned, hardly believing she heard right. However her reaction got a kick out of the two nords. "Maybe we'll pay you a visit later tonight, we've got ways of finding out who you really are, spy," Rolff said, walking off into the local inn with his friend tailing behind.

        The dunmer woman sighed, shaking her head as she looked over at Hel, who approached her. "Do those fuckheads usually harass elves?" she asked, hugging herself as she quirked an eyebrow. The dunmer lady gave a sympathetic look before sighing. "Oh, Rolff? It's like one of his favorite hobbies. He likes to get drunk and walk around the Grey Quarter yelling insults at us in the small hours of the morning," she said, glaring at the inn's door. "But it isn't just him, most of the nords here don't care much for us, but Rolff is the worst by far," she said, crossing her arms. Hel turned to look at the door, already planning on how to take care of the racist drunk.

        The dunmer woman looked at Hel, quirking an eyebrow. "Dear aren't you cold? Why in gods name would you wear that?" she asked, concern lacing her words. Hel quickly snapped from her trance, shivering a tad. "I'm a traveler; I got lost and wandered here, most of my stuff was stolen by bandits," she half lied. "Oh you poor dear, well there are two places where you can go to warm up, however one of them would be a lot warmer, but not with its patrons," she warned. Hel nodded, rubbing her arms. "One of them is Candlehearth inn, which is the building right there," the dunmer said, pointing to the inn Rolff had entered. "And then there's New Gnisis Cornerclub in the Grey Quarter, however that one's a bit poorer than the Candlehearth, but the patrons there won't harass you," she said, a small smile on her face. 

        Hel nodded, reflecting the dunmer's smile. "Anything else you can tell me about here, or what to watch out for?" she asked, tilting her head a bit. The dunmer nodded. "Oh yes, other than the local nords, I'd watch out for the Arentino house. The boy there, Aventus, has been cooking up something sinister there for a few weeks; rumors say he's been trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood, but I hope that isn't the case," she said. Hel's eyes widened slightly. ' _The Brotherhood? Here? The client was sure a ways away from Cheydinhal. Why haven't they reached him yet? Or did they not specialize in contracts from outside Cyrodiil?'_ she wondered.  
  
Hel shook her head. "And where is this boy's house? Just so I know so I can avoid it," she said, wanting to get out of the cold as soon as possible. The dunmer woman nodded. "It's just up there on the corner, you can't miss it," she directed, pointing to the house behind the wall. "If you need anything else, you can either find me at the dock- which is outside the walls, or you can find me in the Cornerclub. Safe travels dear," the dunmer said, waving Hel off as she headed to the docks.  
  
Hel looked around before speed-walking to the Arentino residence.  _'I have to find out, see what's going on,'_ Hel thought to herself, hiding behind a pillar and listening to a small boy and another dunmer woman's conversation. "So It's true! What everyone is saying: that Aventus is trying to summon the Dark Brotherhood?" the boy asked.  _'Damn, everyone knows about this kid,'_  Hel thought to herself. She waited patiently until the boy and the mer were finished and out of sight. Hel looked around before quickly walking to the door, checking the doorknob before realizing it was locked.  
_'Smart kid,'_  she thought, impressed slightly.  
  
However, the brittle lock didn't last long as Hel gave a harsh shove, breaking it and opening the door slightly before slipping in. The house was dim, cobwebs decorated some of the corners house, and the only sounds that could be heard were a repetitive tapping and the muttered chanting of a boy, who could only be assumed to be Aventus. Hel quietly crept up the stairs, making sure not to put all her weight on her footing. She made her way to a room where the sounds were located, only to find a small boy stabbing the wooden floor.  
"Sweet Mother, Sweet Mother, send your child unto me for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear," he chanted, his voice slightly hoarse and his movements slow. Hel gasped slightly.  _'He said the words; sacrament and all,'_  she noted in her head, making her way towards Aventus.

"Uhh.. how long must I do this? I keep praying Night Mother! Why won't you answer me??" The boy cried weakly.  _'Why hasn't the Brotherhood found him? Surely they have heard his prayers?'_  Hel thought, coughing to get the boy's attention. The young tensed a bit, turning his head to find a dunmer woman standing before him. His eyes lit up as a smile quickly spread across his face. "You've come at last! I knew you would!" he cheered, tossing the dagger aside.

Hel watched the young boy, feeling confused and pity for the child. He looked as if he hadn't moved from that spot for a day or so. Questions filled her head as Aventus began to stand, wincing a bit from being in that position fro so long.  
"I knew you'd come, I just knew it! I did the black sacrament over and over with the body and the- the things... and then you came! An assassin from the Dark Brotherhood!" He cheered, looking up at the short mer. Hel didn't know how to respond, but she didn't want to disappoint the boy either. 

"Yes- yes kiddo, I am with the Brotherhood," she lied, though she planned on becoming a member soon. And besides, it's not like she hadn't taken contracts before; well not official ones at least. Aventus beamed, his cheeks becoming sore from how hard he was smiling.  
"It took so long.. so very long. B- but now that you'e here, you can accept my contract!"  
"Contract?" Hel questioned, her ears twitching a tad.

Aventus's smile slowly faded as his gaze turned to the side.  
"My mother... she... she died," he started. "I'm- I'm all alone now, so they sent me to that horrible orphanage in Riften: Honorhall!" he cried out.  
Hel listened intently to the boy's story. _'Oh this is starting to sound familiar'_ she joked to herself.  
"The headmistress is an evil cruel woman; they call her Grelod the Kind, but she's not kind. She's terrible! To all of us!" He cried, his facial expressions and hand movements showing his frustration of the situation and hatred for the woman.  
"So-so I ran away, and came home, and performed the black sacrament. And now that you're here, you can kill Grelod the Kind!" he cheered, his happy expression appearing once more.

Hel stared at the child, taking in his words as she watched his expression. She'd question why a child so young would want someone dead, but she was the same way when she was younger, younger than him. The corners of her mouth turned upward, a soft smile appearing.  
"Of course dear child. I will see to it that she will suffer by my hand," she said gently. Aventus beamed, practically jumping where he said. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he cheered, lunging forward and wrapping his arms around the mer, her body tensing up quickly at the contact. He soon let go, still beaming at the young boy. He then looked down at her clothes, then made his way to a small dresser, Hel watching curiously.  
"Here! I think these would help you better on the contract than.. that" he said, holding out a white tunic and dark brown pants.

Hel couldn't breath a word before the clothes were shoved into her arms. She looked down at them then back at Aventus.  
"There's shoes over by the table too!" He said. "I'll leave this room for you to change, I'll be over on the stairs," he said, making his way out of the dark room.  
"Wait wait, I can't accept this-"  
"Please, you're already doing so much for me," Aventus interrupted, his expression thankful.

 

Not long after Hel made her way toward's the stairs, the tunic and pants a bit snug, but mostly fitted her figure, surprisingly. Though the shoes were slightly big on her, but not by much. Aventus perked up at the creak of the floorboards. "Hope those will do better for you," he said.  
"They do, and thank you very much kiddo. I will make sure that Grelod won't live another day," she said, making her way out the door.  
"Thank you! Oh- please don't hurt Constance Michel, she actually the kind one!" he called out to the mer. Hel nodded as she made her way out the door.

She did feel warmer, but not by much, but she was still grateful by the child's generous gesture. _'Looks like I should stay the night before I head to Riften or whatever,'_ Hel thought to herself, the sky now dark as snow began to fall again. She thought about the two inns that the dunmer woman had mentioned earlier, and decided to stay the night at the Candlehearth Inn, where it'd be much warmer.

Making her way to the building, she pulled the door open, only to be greeted by warmth and the smell of food. She sighed slightly, making her way inside, pushing past some of the patrons and looking for the innkeeper. She soon spotted her, but before she could make her way over there, a hand was place on her shoulder as it harshly turned her around.  
"Hey, what the fuck-"  
"Damned grey skins! Go back to your own damn country!" the figure yelled, which happened to be Rolff.  
_'So we meet again, fuck face,'_ Hel thought to herself as she straightened up a looked the nord in the eye.  
"You know, your mouth is gonna get you in trouble if you keep talking like that," she said, not wanting to full-on attack the man. However, that's exactly what he seemed to want.  
"Oh, you don't like it? Too bad! This is our city! Our country! Ours!" he shouted, Hel rolling her eyes at his ignorance.  
"What? Don't think I can take ya? 100 septims says I can punch you back to wherever you came from!" he threatened.

_'Oh please do, cause this isn't the place I want to be in,'_ Hel joked to herself, though she really wanted to be out of the country. She looked down at her coin purse, remembering the amount of gold Cicero had paid her earlier.  
250 septims. _'Oh gods, why did he give me so fucken much??'_ Hel wondered, turning her head back to Rolff.  
"Alrighty, you're on," she said.

Rolff smirked. "Alrighty then. Fists only! None of that magic stuff either, lets go!" he instructed, raising his fists, Hel doing the same as she got into a stance.  
Rolff was the first to swing, Hel bending her body to the side as his fist went past her head. He nearly fell forward by the amount of force he used. As he staggered a bit, Hel took a swing, hitting hard as her fist collided with his jaw. Rolff flew back a bit, falling backwards as he blacked out from the impact. Knock out.  
The patron's watched in awe as the small mer took out Rolff Stone-Fist in one hit. Hel stepped over to the nord's body, looking down at him before crouching, and taking his coin purse. She didn't even bother counting out any septims as she made her way to the innkeeper. She held his coin purse as she looked at the woman. "I'd like a room, please."

The woman blinked a bit, shaking her head as she came to her sense after watching the brawl.  
"O-oh! Yes yes, however you don't need to pay, since it's a Holiday, but I will show you to your room," The nord woman said, as Hel mentally cursed at herself for forgetting the damned holiday. She followed the woman to the room, but not before bumping into another person. She seemed to work at the inn, due to her attire.  
"Wow! That was amazing! I'm glad that he got what was coming to him," She said, as Hel tensed up a bit, the adrenaline dying down as she realized that a nord woman was talking to her.

"O-oh, uhh.. thank you," Hel said, wanting to leave this conversation fast. The nord waitress looked the mer up and down before walking off, but not before looking over her shoulder with a look.  
"See you around, my beauty," she called out before heading up the stair. Hel stood there, screaming internally as her heart beat quickened. She quickly rushed to where the innkeeper was, thanking her before slamming the doors when she left the room.

She sighed with relief before locking the door, heading towards the bed and laying down on the furs.  
"Alrighty, help Aventus in killing Grelod, then report back then leave for Cheydinhal," Hel whispered the plan to herself.  
She kept thinking about how she'd kill the headmistress, should she be straightforward or be stealthy? She continued thinking about what she should do, slowly fading before she sent herself into a somewhat peaceful slumber.

 

It was early in the morning, the sun barely out as Hel made her way to the carriage outside the city. She had bought some breakfast before heading out to Riften.  
"I can take you to any of the holds, though the smaller one's cost more" the carriage driver explained. "The major holds cost 20 while the smaller one's are 50."  
"Is Riften a major hold?" Hel asked, pulling out her coin purse. The carriage driver nodded, as Hel then handed over 20 septims.  
"Just hop on in the back, and enjoy the ride," he said, as the dunmer made her way to the bed of the carriage, taking a seat as the carriage then began to move.

 

She stepped out of the cart onto the grass below. She'd had to admit, that the weather in the Rift was much more tolerable for her than in Windhelm. She thanked the carriage driver as she made her way to the front gate. However, before she could get close to the front, a guard stopped her.  
"Halt. Before I let you in, you need to pay the visitor's tax," he explained. Hel tilted her head a bit, eyeing the guard.  
"Visitor's tax? What for?" She asked, getting a feeling that this was a scam.  
"For the privilege to enter the city, what does it matter?" He questioned, his attitude becoming snappy. Hel placed a hand on her hip as she gave the guard a look.  
"How stupid do you think I am, or anyone to fall for that trick. This is obviously a shakedown."

The guard tensed up, raising his hands and motioning for her to quiet down. "All right, all right, keep your voice down aye? I'll let you in, just let me unlock the gate," he said quickly, making his way to the gate. Once he was done, he signaled her to head inside. Hel gave him a nod before entering the city.

She made her way to Honorhall orphanage, with help from that Maul guy after asking for directions. She went inside carefully and quietly, making sure no one saw her enter. She gently closed the door behind her, her ears twitching at the sound of an older woman's voice.  
"Those who shirk their duties will get an extra beating! Do I make myself clear?" the old woman snapped at the children as they turned their gazes from her. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" She yelled, the children quickly picking their heads up to look at the cruel woman, a couple of them almost on the brink of sobbing. Hel squinted her eyes at the woman as she hugged the wall, clenching her jaw a bit _'Are all headmistresses complete cunts??'_.

"You useless, good for nothing, mouth breathers. The lot of you! I don't want to hear anymore talk of adoptions. Do I make myself clear?" Grelod barked at the children. They tensed up a bit, but nodded eventually. Hel unsheathed her dagger, getting tired of the woman's insufferable mouth. She guessed straightforward was gonna be the option.  
"Nobody needs you, nobody wants you. That, my darlings, is why you're here. Why you will always be here, until the day you come of age and get- GHAH" She cried out as Hel swiftly sliced her neck open. She watched as the old woman choked on her own blood, coughing it up as it spilled from her neck.

Grelod the Kind then dropped dead, surrounded in a pool of her own blood as her lifeless eyes stared into Hel's cold, enraged ones. Hel kicked her body for extra measure before sheathing her dagger, turning around to the children, who all watched the mer in awe. They then began to cheer, thanking her for 'ridding the evil' while the other woman, most likely Constance Michel, runned around the place in fear. Hel nodded towards the children, quickly leaving the building.

 

The door to the Arentino residence opened gently, the sound of the door closing barely audible. After traveling back to Windhelm, Hel went down to the Cornerclub to rent a room. She could have returned back to the Candlehearth Inn, but the nord women there made her feel uneasy. She also purchased some food: A horker steak, bread and some milk before leaving the Cornerclub.  
She treaded up the stairs as Aventus's head perked up from his pacing, turning towards the mer.  
"Well, Grelod the Kind, is she... y'know?" he asked, his eyes full of hope. Hel nodded, a small smile ghosting her lips.  
"She is, and her soul shall forever suffer in the Void for eternity," She said, making her way to the boy.

His eyes lit up, the biggest smile that he could do spread across his face. "AHA! I knew you could do it! I knew the Dark Brotherhood would save me! Oh- wait one sec," he said before rushing over to the wall, pulling down a plate and making his way back to the mer, presenting it to her. "It's a family heirloom. It should fetch you a nice price!" he beamed. Hel looked at Aventus, then at the heirloom. She gave a small smile, but shook her head.  
"No kiddo, you keep it. You're gonna need it more than me-"  
"Please, please take it. As a thank you for everything that you've done for me," he said, looking up at the mer.

Hel sighed, before her ears perked up, a playful look on her face. "How bout a trade?"  
"A trade?" Aventus asked, cocking his head to the side. Hel gave a nod.  
"Yes! How bout I accept the heirloom," she started, gently taking the heirloom into her hands. She then brought a wrapped cloth and a jug of milk to the boys face.  
"And you accept this meal I got ya, deal?"

Aventus's eyes widened as he took the food from her. "Are- are you sure??" He asked, not expecting such a gesture. Hel nodded.  
"All yours, kiddo," she said with a soft smile. Aventus beamed as he began to unwrap the food given to him.  
"Thank you so much!! You know, when I grow up, I wanna be an assassin."  
"Oh?"  
"That way, when I'm older, I can help lots of children, just like you!" He cheered. Hel was taken aback at the comment, she never saw herself as a savior, but she did always have a soft spot for children... well except the one's in Bravil.

Hel gave a chuckle, turning on her heel to leave. But before she exited the building, she turned back to Aventus.  
"Well, when you've come of age, you can certainly join my family," she said, leaving the boy to his meal and to get a restful night's sleep.

 

Hel began to get comfortable under the furs of the bed. Though the Cornerclub was much colder than Candlehearth, it's patron's were definitely a lot more warmer and welcoming.  
She had kept replaying the phrase in he head, the one she was told so long ago, but kept it to heart.  
_"When you com of age, you can join my family."  
_"I'm trying. I'll be there soon," she said softly, slowly falling asleep.

 

_Hel gasped for breath as her eye's opened. She awoke on her hand and knees, surprisingly not wet from the icky dark green like sea that surrounded her. She looked up to find the sky as black as the void. She sighed deeply as she picked herself up, standing on the dark water. She began moving forward, making her journey through the dark world._

_There was no sound. Only silence filled the air, not even the sound of her breathing could be heard. She looked around as she continued forward, though nothing seemed to change. She looked behind her to see if she had missed anything, but nothing. Still the same, dark view._

_Hel gave a sigh, facing forward, but stopping in her tracks as she saw a figure._   
_Their back was facing away from her. The figure had shoulder length white hair, and seemed to be wearing a light blue dress._   
_Hel tried to call out to them, but no sound would come out. She decided best to just walk up to the figure._

_However, each step felt like a struggle, but she pushed forward and tried to get to the figure._   
_Each she took, noise began to come to life. Though they were quite unpleasant. It was quiet at first, but the closer Hel got, the sound became clearer and louder. The screams of children._

_Hel tried her best to block it out, but once she was right behind the white haired figure, the noise became unbearable._   
_She covered her ears, wanting it to go away, but she knew it wouldn't._   
_"SHUT UP!" She screamed, her voice finally audible._   
_Her voice silenced everything, nothing made a sound. Hel uncovered her ears, looking around before turning to the figure before her._

_The figure slowly turned around, facing Hel as Hel stared in fear._   
_The figure's hair was disheveled, their dress ripped in different areas, cuts and bruises littering their arms and legs as their arms seemed to be chained to the inky floor._   
_However the most frightening thing about their appearance was their face._

_Their eyes were pitch black, black as the Void, as well as their mouth as ink spilled from it._   
_Hel began backing away, never taking her eyes off of them, but yelped when a pair of pale hands grabbed her ankles. She looked down, only seeing a pair of pale arms through the abyss._   
_Without warning, the hands gave a harsh tug, pulling her into the abyss at an alarming rate._   
_Hel tried to scream, but nothing could be heard as her vessel was dragged through the darkness._

 

Hel shot up from her sleep, gasping fro breath as she blinked looking around and down at her hands. She gave a sigh of relief but her breathing still heavy, as she laid back down. _'Just a dream,'_ she told herself. She began to relax, her breathing steadying as well as her heartbeat. She hated that dream- nightmare. It was a recurring one, but by Sithis did she hate it.

However, she paused from her recovering, shooting back up from the bed. _'This is not where I fell asleep.'_  
She looked around, patting herself down before freaking out.  
_'This is not where I fell asleep. Where am I? Where the fuck is my knife?? WHO TOOK MY KNIFE?!'  
_Questions began to flood her head as she panicked. However, a woman's voice seemed to make even time itself stop.

"Sleep well?"


End file.
